Apparatus for setting up box blanks



Jan. 27, 1953 R. A. SAMSING 2,626,545

APPARATUS FOR SETTING up BOX BLANKS Filed 001. 11, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Fig. I

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ROLF A. SAMSI NG ATTORNEYS R. A. SAMSING APPARATUS FOR SETTING UP BOX BLANKS Jan. 27, 1953 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed 0012. 11, 1951 Fig. 3

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Patented Jan. 27, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR SETTING UP Box BLANKS Roll A. Samsing, Braintree, Mass. 'assignor to Carton Engineering Corporation, Braintree, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 11, 1951, Serial No. 250,909

. 2 Claims.

This invention relates to novel apparatus for setting up to box form foldable box blanks of the type shown in my Patent 2,553,870. This blank contains bottom side and end panels together with tuck flaps with looking ears on the side panels for engaging within slits in the end panels for holding the blank set up to box form. The primary object of the invention resides in the production of an improved apparatus for setting up this blank.

The improved apparatus embodies mechanism including a form for receiving the flat blank, bending the locking ears laterally, folding the side and end panels upwardly as the blank is forced into the form, spreading the slits to open position and inserting the tuck flaps to ear locking position thereinto. The production of an improved apparatus for performing these functions comprises a further object of the invention.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective plan view of the box folding form,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the form with a blank in folding position thereon,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the form together with means for feeding blanks individually thereto,

Fig. 4 is an end elevation thereof,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the form together with a blank being set up therein,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 5, and

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary inside view of the set up box.

The blank Ill illustrated in Fig. 2 includes a bottom panel l2, side panels I4, end panels l6 and a cover panel [8. A tuck flap 20 with an outwardly projecting locking ear 22 thereon is integral with each end of each side panel l4 and each end panel I6 is provided with two parallel slits 24 for receiving the tuck flaps.

The improved apparatus for setting up the blank includes a form 26 having an opening 28 downwardly therethrough of an area corresponding to the area of the bottom panel 12 and permitting passage of this panel therethrough. The form includes side blocks 21 and end blocks 29 mounted on the supporting base of the form at the opening 28. The marginal side wall surfaces 30 of the form at the opening are curved to fold the side panels i4 upwardly as the blank is forced downwardly therethrough as shown in Fig. 5. Each end wall margin is recessed at 32 to receive that portion 34 of the end panel disposed between the slits 24 and shoulders 36 at the ends of the recess and are adapted to engage the end panel portions 38 outwardly of the slits and cause spreading of the slits as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

The blanks are fed individually from a stack to the form 26 by mechanism illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 as comprising vacuum cups 40 carried on posts 42. Attached to each post is a bar 44 having downwardly extending ends 46 providing shoulders disposed to contact the blank directly adjacent to and rearwardly of the ears 22. Four posts 48 are mounted on the form in position to engage the bottom faces of the ears when the blank is in setting up position on the form. As the blank is transferred to the form and pressed downwardly thereon, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the shoulders 46 and 48 serve to bend the ears upwardly.

After the blank is deposited onto the form in the position illustrated in Fig. 2, a plunger 50 engages the bottom panel i 2 and forces it downwardly into the opening 28. The walls at the margin of the opening thereupon fold the side and end panels upwardly, the more abrupt end walls serving to fold the end panels in advance of the side panels. The recess 32 and shoulders 36 at each end wall causes opening of the slits 24 (Figs. 5 and 6) and the folding of the side walls thereafter, together with the folding of the tuck flaps 20 on the curved surfaces 52, causes the tuck flaps to be inserted through the slit openings. The upwardly bent ears 22 thereupon engage the outer walls of the slits and lock the tucks in place as illustrated in Fig. 7.

It will now be apparent that I have produced an improved apparatus for automatically setting up box blanks of the nature described, together with means for automatically bending the locking cars 22 of the blank to a position assuring secure locking of the box as illustrated in Fig. 7.

Having thus disclosed my invention what I olefin as new and desire to secure by Letters Paten s:

1. Apparatus for setting up to box form a flat blank having a bottom panel together with side and end panels, tuck flaps with outwardly projecting locking ears integral with the ends of the side panels and two parallel slits in each end panel for receiving the adjacent tuck flaps, comprising a form for receiving the blank and having a rectangular opening therethrough corresponding in area to said bottom panel and marginal surfaces at the opening for folding the side and end panels upwardly as the bottom panel in horizontal position is forced downwardly through the opening, the marginal surface of the form at each end of the opening including a recess for receiving the intermediate portion of the end panel disposed between the slits and shoulders; at the ends of the recess for supporting the blank outwardly of the slits. thereby spreading the slits open to receive the tuck flaps, and curved surfaces on the form outwardly of the shoulders for holding the tuck flaps inwardly into alignment with the open slits.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 plus shoulders supported on the form outwardly: of each corner of said opening and disposed in position to engage the bottom faces of saidlocke 4 ing ears when the blank is in setting up position on the form, and means including cooperating shoulders adjacent to the first named shoulders for pressing the blank downwardly and bending the ears upwardly.

ROLF A. SAMSING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,899,652 Stortz Feb. 28, 1933 2,516,624 Guyer. July 25, 1950 2,580,189 Pagendorm Dec. 25, 1951 

